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In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

It took me a bit to get into this one, but my gods, once I did I was addicted. I mean, I couldn’t put it down. And once I finished it I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I pretty much immediately started the sequel, Catching Fire, because I wanted, no I NEEDED to know what happened next to Katniss.

The Hunger Games is one heck of a roller coaster. I mean, the whole book centers around 24 teens trying to kill each other, so how could it not be? I loved the fact that parts of the story gave me a bit of an adrenalin rush. The writing was tight, the characters realistic and Collins has no issues dealing out death and violence hand over fist.

But The Hunger Games isn’t only about destruction, no. There is a pretty unconventional love story at the center of the book. As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, I’m not a big fan of romance in books. But like a lot of the great YA dystopia that is coming out, the romance isn’t’ overdone here and adds to the tension of the story.

I’ve read Catching Fire and will be reviewing it next week. Mockingjay, the third and final in the trilogy comes out later this summer and is perhaps one of the most anticipated YA summer releases. OMG it’s gonna be goooood!